Off the wire
• Portuguese gov't says conditions are set for Greek third bailout  • China's holdings of U.S. Treasuries rise for third month  • Roundup: Nasdaq ends at record high after Greek vote  • Obama congratulates world Muslims' on Eid al-Fitr celebration  • Croatia to receive 550 refugees, asylum seekers  • Barclays' freeze of RT bank account casts doubt on UK "freedom of press"  • UN Security Council welcomes initialing of Libyan Political Agreement  • U.S. launches antidumping probe against refrigerant from China  • 1st LD Writethru: Nasdaq ends at record after Greek vote  • UN agencies report increase in immunization figures for children across world  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: IS claims missile attack on Egypt navy vessel, army killed 22 militants

Xinhua, July 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Egypt's Islamic affiliate said it fired out on Thursday a rocket at the Egyptian naval vessel in the North Sinai's Mediterranean coast.

The statement came only few hours after the Egyptian army said it killed 22 suspected militants in raids against their hideouts in North Sinai.

Egypt's military spokesman Mohammed Samir said the vessel caught fire in an exchange of fire with "terrorists" on the shore and that there were no losses among its crew members.

The Sinai Province, an IS Egyptian affiliate, claimed responsibility for firing a "guided missile" at the patrol boat north of Rafah, which neighbors the Gaza Strip.

On its twitter account, the group posted a statement with three pictures showing a rocket heading towards a ship and setting it ablaze. However the authenticity of the statement couldn't be verified.

The maritime attack is the first of its kind, while the militants have been always carried out their attacks mainly in Sinai and some other cities in the county.

Later on Thursday an explosive device went off in Roxy Square in Egyptian capital Cairo, and a traffic police was seriously wounded. Following the explosion, Egyptian authorities sacked Cairo police chief General Osama Bedair.

In a statement, the interior ministry said Bedair was replaced by his deputy, General Khalid Abdel Aal, but gave no reason for the decision.

Local media said the decision came as the Capital has seen an unprecedented wave of terrorist attacks. A car bomb exploded Saturday outside the Italian consulate in central Cairo, killing a civilian and wounding nine people.

On June 29, the country's top prosecutor has been assassinated in a car bomb.

The security forces have been trying to crackdown on former President Morsi's supporters. In retaliation, the Islamic militants killed hundreds of army and policemen in attacks. Sinai Province which claimed responsibility of most of the attacks has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State last year.

The group launched once tried to declare northern Sinai city of Sheikh Zuweid as the Islamic State in Egypt by coordinating consecutive attacks on military bases and checkpoints in the city. The army killed 273 of the militants in response. Endit